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Drake changes Knife Talk lyrics at Melbourne concert amid feud with Kendrick Lamar

Drake has taken aim at Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance in a fiery concert at Rod Laver Arena, as the feud between the pair escalates.

Drake fans get $45k in Melbourne giveaway

Drake is still breathing.

The One Dance singer, 38, appeared to subtly respond to Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl performance by changing a lyric in his song Knife Talk at his concert at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena.

In footage from the show, Drake rapped, “Beef is live, spoiler alert — I never died.”

But the original lyrics to the song are, “Beef is live, spoiler alert — this n---a dies.”

Knife Talk came out in 2021 as part of Drake’s album Certified Lover Boy.

Drake performs at Rod Laver Arena. Picture: Nui Te Koha
Drake performs at Rod Laver Arena. Picture: Nui Te Koha

The lyric change happened after Lamar, 37, went after Drake during the Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans.

After teasing Not Like Us throughout the performance, Lamar finally sang the track that has come to define his feud with Drake.

However, Lamar changed a portion of the song by altering the word “pedophile.”

Instead of spitting “Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles,” Lamar went silent at the part where he would normally rap “pedophile.”

'They love to sue' Kendrick Lamar questions song choice during halftime show

But Lamar still got his message across inside Caesars Superdome as he served two of the song’s other brutal bars: “Say, Drake, I hear you like ‘em young / You better not ever go to cell block one.”

He then rapped, “Why you trollin’ like a …,” leaving out the word, “bitch?” before adding, “Ain’t you tired? / Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor.”

Lamar also antagonised Drake by wearing an “a” chain necklace that seemingly referenced his “A minor” lyric and recruiting Drake’s ex, Serena Williams, to be a surprise guest.

Hours before the Super Bowl, Drake held his own concert in Melbourne where he gave $50,000 to fans in the audience.

Kendrick Lamar antagonised Drake during his Super Bowl performance. Picture: Getty Images
Kendrick Lamar antagonised Drake during his Super Bowl performance. Picture: Getty Images

He also shared a heartfelt message to the packed crowd, saying, “It really touches my heart that through all of that, you still take your hard-earned money, and you spend some of that money on tickets to this show to see this kid from Canada get up here and talk s--t. I really appreciate you. I would be nothing without you.”

Drake has yet to directly address Lamar’s Super Bowl performance.

Drake in concert in Perth. Picture: Instagram
Drake in concert in Perth. Picture: Instagram

The feud between the two stars began in 2013, but it reached new heights last year when Lamar claimed Drake had sex with underage women in Not Like Us - which Drake later denied.

The diss track became one of 2024’s biggest hits and won Lamar the Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

Last month, Drake sued his own record label, Universal Music Group — which also reps Lamar — for defamation and harassment because they released and promoted “Not Like Us.”

The lawsuit called out UMG for spreading “false” and “dangerous” claims about the former Degrassi star.

Lamar wasn’t named in the suit.

Originally published as Drake changes Knife Talk lyrics at Melbourne concert amid feud with Kendrick Lamar

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Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/entertainment/music/drake-changes-knife-talk-lyrics-at-melbourne-concert-amid-feud-with-kendrick-lamar/news-story/e1563331899ad47aabc65543a1918906